Greece - Korina Miller [197]
Kyklos Tsipouradiko (opposite)
Kavouras Tsipouradiko (opposite)
Kerasia Tsipouradiko (opposite)
Taverna O Petros
Ouzerie Vangelis
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Café Aroma ( 24210 24568; waterfront; snacks €2-5) At the eastern edge of Argonafton, this breezy outdoor summer cafe puts gravel at your feet and a cold beer or dripping ice cream in your hand.
Astra Bouzoukia ( 24210 62182; Pagasson 68; drinks €2-5; Sep-May) In the Palaia district, Astra features live bouzouki music, drinks and dancing, but don’t bother showing up before midnight. Come summer, Astra moves to breezier Alykes (same phone), 5km southwest.
Bar Balthassar ( 69449 65406; Oikonomaki 76; snacks €4-9) In the trendy heart of Volos’ cafe district, Balthassar keeps its cool, a mellow beer-and-sausage hang-out that features fine Belgian ales and assorted planetary brews.
For movies, check out Volos’ outdoor summer cinema (exoraistiki; 24210 29946; Dimitriados 263; admission €6, Tue €3.50) near the waterfront, or the Village Cinema ( 24210 94600; Giannitson 29; admission €6.50) in the old Palaia District.
Getting There & Away
BOAT
Volos is a gateway to the northern Sporades isles of Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonnisos. For details Island Hopping. Ferries arrive and depart from the far end of the dock; hydrofoils from the near end.
BUS
From the KTEL Volos bus station ( 24210 33254; cnr Zachou & Almyrou), opposite the tourist info centre, buses depart for Athens (€24.70, 4½ hours, 11 daily), Larisa (€5, one hour, 10 to 12 daily), Thessaloniki (€16.60, 2½ hours, nine daily), Trikala (€12.30, 2½ hours, four daily) and Ioannina (€21.60, 4½ hours, three daily).
TRAIN
The Volos train station ( 24210 24056; Papadiamanti) is about 200m northwest of Plateia Riga Fereou. There are 15 trains daily to Larisa (€2.90, one hour). Trains run to Athens (IC €28.20, five hours, two daily; normal €12.80, six hours, six daily) and Thessaloniki (IC €21.60, two hours, three daily; normal €12.90, three hours, three daily), both via Larisa.
Getting Around
Cars can be rented from Nikolaos Pappas ( 24210 70009; Iolkou 93b) and Avis ( 24210 22880; fax 24210 32360; Argonafton 41).
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AROUND VOLOS
Just west of Volos are two major archaeological sites, both dating from early Greek civilisation in Thessaly. The first is Dimini ( 24210 85960; admission €2; 8.30am-2.30pm Tue-Sun), a late Neolithic site (4800–4500 BC) complete with traces of neatly arranged streets and houses. The second is Sesklo ( 24210 95172; admission €2; 8.30am-3pm Tue-Sun), with remains of the oldest acropolis in Greece (6000 BC). The architecture at both sites typifies the complex agrarian communities that could sustain much larger populations than those of their Palaeolithic hunter-gatherer ancestors.
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PELION PENINSULA ΠHΛΙΟΝ ΟΡΟΣ
The Pelion Peninsula lies to the east and south of Volos, a dramatic mountain range whose highest peak is Pourianos Stavros (1624m). The largely inaccessible eastern flank consists of high cliffs that plunge into the sea. The gentler western flank coils round the Pagasitikos Gulf. The interior is a green wonderland where trees heavy with fruit vie with wild olive groves and forests of horse chestnut, oak, walnut, eucalyptus and beech trees to reach the light of day. The villages tucked away in this profuse foliage are characterised by whitewashed, half-timbered houses with overhanging balconies, grey slate roofs and old winding footpaths.
Many lodgings in the Pelion are traditional arhontika (stone mansions), tastefully converted into pensions and reasonably priced. The peninsula has an enduring tradition of regional cooking, often flavoured with mountain herbs. Local specialities include fasoladha (bean soup), kouneli stifadho, spetsofaï (stewed pork sausages and peppers) and tyropsomo (cheese bread).
HISTORY
In mythology the Pelion was inhabited by kentavri (centaurs) – creatures, half-man and half-horse, who took delight in drinking wine, deflowering virgins and generally ripping up the countryside. Not all